I’ve always used Tableau to quickly get to grips with a new data set and play with different chart types until I come across something effective. I’ve also created several ‘personal’ projects using this tool.

More recently, I’ve been talking to several clients about creating Tableau dashboards or interactive infographics for them.

These are the questions I ask myself / them at the start of any new Tableau project, on top of the usual design questions (which may form another blog post at some point)

Is Tableau part of your usual workflow, or something you use for standalone projects

Is there one person who uses Tableau in your organisation, or are most people skilled in Tableau?

Do you use Tableau to generate your calculations, or is the bulk of the statistical work done in the original dataset?

Can you share files, links or screenshots of how you currently use Tableau?

THIS PROJECT (what we are creating)

What are your aims for this project? (i.e. “to create a dashboard to let our staff see our monthly statistics”)

Is there a particular challenge/problem your are looking to solve?

Who is your intended audience?

is the dashboard just for internal use?

What do you envisage to be the final outcome of this project? – i.e. a single dashboard, multiple dashboards (story), a single visualisation, an interactive infographic

VIEWING THE PROJECT

do you want the project to be viewable online by anyone?

will the project need some explanation/wider context?

will the project need some instructions or will all your users be familiar with Tableau?

THE DATA

is the data for this project part of a larger data set already existing in Tableau or are we starting from scratch?

is the data ready to go, or does it need more work to get it into shape?

is the data already public?

is it ok for the data to be accessible/downloaded by anyone who accesses the project?

THE DESIGN

is it important for this project to meet corporate branding guidelines?

does this need to be suitable for mobile use?

About Author

Caroline Beavon

A communication professional with 12 years journalism experience and a genuine passion for new technologies. An experienced blogger and social media user

“Caroline’s professionalism and skill set are equaled by her infectious enthusiasm and adaptability. Caroline is friendly and helpful whilst remaining honest, realistic and focused. A true pleasure to work with and a formidable positive force” Jonn Penney, Media Officer – Wolverhampton Civic Hall